Thieves World 5 – The Face of Chaos by Asprin, Robert

rebuilding needs. I think the days of swaggering swordsmen are numbered in

Sanctuary.’

‘Have you reached a decision yet on Mor-am and Moria?’

Jubal shook his head. ‘There’s no rush,’ he said. ‘Mor-am is ours anytime we

want him. I don’t want to eliminate him until I’ve made my mind up on Moria.

Those two were close once, and I’m still unconvinced she has totally quelched

her feelings for her brother.’

‘It’s said she has developed a taste for wine. If we wait too long, she may not

be worth the recruiting.’

‘All the more reason to wait. Either she is strong enough to stand alone,

without brother or wine, or she isn’t. We’ve no room for employees who need

tending.’

‘They were good people,’ Saliman said softly.

‘Yes, they were. But we can ill afford generosity at this time. What about the

other? Is there any danger our spies in Walegrin’s force will be discovered?’

‘None that we know of. Of course, they have an advantage over the rest of us.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Only that they’re exempt from the order to assist the Stepsons, whenever

trouble arises. I’ve told you before, it’s a dead giveaway to come to the aid of

those mercenaries every time they get into a scrape. No one else in town likes

them, except the whores, and it breeds suspicion when one of ours takes their

side in a quarrel.’

‘Have they honoured their pledge not to hunt the old hawk-masks?’

‘Yes,’ Saliman admitted grudgingly. ‘In a way, they still go through the

motions, but they have been notably ineffective since the alliance.’